Bhagavata Purana

उत्थापनैरुन्नयनैः चालनैः स्थापनैरपि । परस्परं जिगीषन्तौ अपचक्रतुरात्मनः

By lifting, raising, shaking, and holding, each sought to overpower the other, exerting their full strength.

तद्‍बलाबलवद् युद्धं समेताः सर्वयोषितः । ऊचुः परस्परं राजन् सानुकम्पा वरूथशः

Observing this contest of strength and weakness, all the women assembled there, O King, spoke to one another with compassion, in groups.

महानयं बताधर्म एषां राजसभासदाम् । ये बलाबलवद् युद्धं राज्ञोऽन्विच्छन्ति पश्यतः

Alas, what great injustice is this among the king's assembly, that they desire such a contest of strength and weakness before the king, as he looks on!

क्व वज्रसारसर्वाङ्‌गौ मल्लौ शैलेन्द्रसन्निभौ । क्व चातिसुकुमाराङ्‌गौ किशोरौ नाप्तयौवनौ

How can these wrestlers, with bodies hard as thunderbolts and resembling mountain peaks, be matched against these two youths, so delicate and not yet come to full manhood?

धर्मव्यतिक्रमो ह्यस्य समाजस्य ध्रुवं भवेत् । यत्राधर्मः समुत्तिष्ठेत् न स्थेयं तत्र कर्हिचित्

Surely, this assembly will incur a breach of righteousness, for where unrighteousness arises, one should never remain.

न सभां प्रविशेत् प्राज्ञः सभ्यदोषान् अनुस्मरन् । अब्रुवन् विब्रुवन्नज्ञो नरः किल्बिषमश्नुते

A wise person should not enter an assembly, remembering the faults of its members; whether he speaks or remains silent, an ignorant man incurs sin.

वल्गतः शत्रुमभितः कृष्णस्य वदनाम्बुजम् । वीक्ष्यतां श्रमवार्युप्तं पद्मकोशमिवाम्बुभिः

See Krishna's lotus-like face, covered with sweat from exertion as he faces his enemy, like a lotus bud moistened with water.

किं न पश्यत रामस्य मुखमाताम्रलोचनम् । मुष्टिकं प्रति सामर्षं हाससंरम्भशोभितम्

Why do you not see Rāma’s face, with copper-red eyes, adorned with a smile and the flush of anger, shining as he confronts Muṣṭika?

( वसंततिलका ) पुण्या बत व्रजभुवो यदयं नृलिङ्‌ग गूढः पुराणपुरुषो वनचित्रमाल्यः । गाः पालयन्सहबलः क्वणयंश्च वेणुं विक्रीदयाञ्चति गिरित्ररमार्चिताङ्‌घ्रिः

Blessed indeed are the lands of Vraja, where this ancient Person, concealed in human form and adorned with garlands of forest flowers, tends the cows with Balarāma, playing his flute, his feet worshipped by the beloved of the mountain lord, and delights in various pastimes.

गोप्यस्तपः किमचरन् यदमुष्य रूपं लावण्यसारमसमोर्ध्वमनन्यसिद्धम् । दृग्भिः पिबन्त्यनुसवाभिनवं दुरापम् एकान्तधाम यशसः श्रीय ऐश्वरस्य

What austerities did the cowherd women perform, that they could see his form—the very essence of beauty, peerless and unique, ever fresh at every moment, difficult to attain, the sole abode of fame, fortune, and majesty—drinking it in with their eyes?

या दोहनेऽवहनने मथनोपलेप प्रेङ्‌खेङ्‌खनार्भरुदितो-क्षणमार्जनादौ । गायन्ति चैनमनुरक्तधियोऽश्रुकण्ठ्यो धन्या व्रजस्त्रिय उरुक्रमचित्तयानाः

Fortunate are the women of Vraja, whose minds are devoted to the mighty Lord, who, with voices choked by tears, sing of him while milking cows, gathering dung, churning, smearing floors, swinging their children, or sweeping—whatever their work.

प्रातर्व्रजाद् व्रजत आविशतश्च सायं गोभिः समं क्वणयतोऽस्य निशम्य वेणुम् । निर्गम्य तूर्णमबलाः पथि भूरिपुण्याः पश्यन्ति सस्मितमुखं सदयावलोकम्

Morning and evening, as he leaves for the pastures or returns with the cows, playing his flute, the blessed young women quickly come out onto the path to see his smiling face and compassionate glances.

( अनुष्टुप् ) एवं प्रभाषमाणासु स्त्रीषु योगेश्वरो हरिः । शत्रुं हन्तुं मनश्चक्रे भगवान् भरतर्षभ

As the women thus spoke, O best of the Bhāratas, the Lord, master of yoga, Hari, resolved in his mind to slay his enemy.

सभयाः स्त्रीगिरः श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्नेहशुचाऽऽतुरौ । पितरौ अन्वतप्येतां पुत्रयोरबुधौ बलम्

Hearing the fearful words of the women, the parents, distressed by affection and grief for their sons, suffered greatly for the sake of their two sons, unaware of their strength.

तैस्तैर्नियुद्धविधिभिः विविधैरच्युतेतरौ । युयुधाते यथान्योन्यं तथैव बलमुष्टिकौ

With all the various techniques of wrestling, Acyuta and his opponent fought each other, just as Bala and Muṣṭika did.

भगवद्‍गात्रनिष्पातैः वज्रनीष्पेषनिष्ठुरैः । चाणूरो भज्यमानाङ्‌गो मुहुर्ग्लानिमवाप ह

Struck by the blows of the Lord’s limbs, harsh as the grinding of thunderbolts, Cāṇūra’s body was repeatedly battered and he became exhausted.

स श्येनवेग उत्पत्य मुष्टीकृत्य करावुभौ । भगवन्तं वासुदेवं क्रुद्धो वक्षस्यबाधत

With the speed of a hawk, Cāṇūra leapt up, clenched both his fists, and angrily struck Vāsudeva, the Lord, on the chest.

नाचलत् तत्प्रहारेण मालाहत इव द्विपः । बाह्वोर्निगृह्य चाणूरं बहुशो भ्रामयन् हरिः

He did not move at that blow, like an elephant struck by a garland; seizing Cāṇūra by the arms, Hari spun him around many times.

भूपृष्ठे पोथयामास तरसा क्षीण जीवितम् । विस्रस्ताकल्पकेशस्रग् इन्द्रध्वज इवापतत्

He dashed him violently to the ground, his life nearly gone; his hair and garland scattered, he fell like a banner of Indra collapsing.

तथैव मुष्टिकः पूर्वं स्वमुष्ट्याभिहतेन वै । बलभद्रेण बलिना तलेनाभिहतो भृशम्

In the same way, Muṣṭika was first struck forcefully by the mighty Balabhadra’s fist, and then severely hit with his palm.

प्रवेपितः स रुधिरं उद्‌वमन् मुखतोऽर्दितः । व्यसुः पपातोर्व्युपस्थे वाताहत इवाङ्‌घ्रिपः

He trembled, blood pouring from his mouth, tormented; his life departed, and he collapsed on the ground like a tree felled by the wind.

ततः कूटमनुप्राप्तं रामः प्रहरतां वरः । अवधीत् लीलया राजन् सावज्ञं वाममुष्टिना

Then Rāma, best among fighters, effortlessly slew Kūṭa, who had approached, with a contemptuous blow of his left fist, O King.

तर्ह्येव हि शलः कृष्ण प्रपदाहतशीर्षकः । द्विधा विदीर्णस्तोशलक उभावपि निपेततुः

At that very moment, Śala, his head struck by Kṛṣṇa’s foot, and Tośalaka, both split in two, fell down.

चाणूरे मुष्टिके कूटे शले तोशलके हते । शेषाः प्रदुद्रुवुर्मल्लाः सर्वे प्राणपरीप्सवः

With Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, Kūṭa, Śala, and Tośalaka slain, all the remaining wrestlers, desiring to save their lives, fled.

गोपान् वयस्यान् आकृष्य तैः संसृज्य विजह्रतुः । वाद्यमानेषु तूर्येषु वल्गन्तौ रुतनूपुरौ

Drawing their cowherd friends together, they played joyfully with them as the musical instruments sounded, their anklets ringing as they danced.

जनाः प्रजहृषुः सर्वे कर्मणा रामकृष्णयोः । ऋते कंसं विप्रमुख्याः साधवः साधु साध्विति

All the people rejoiced at the deed of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa; except for Kaṃsa, the foremost brāhmaṇas and the virtuous exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!'

हतेषु मल्लवर्येषु विद्रुतेषु च भोजराट् । न्यवारयत् स्वतूर्याणि वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह

When the best of the wrestlers were slain and the king of the Bhojas was agitated, he stopped his own musicians and spoke these words:

निःसारयत दुर्वृत्तौ वसुदेवात्मजौ पुरात् । धनं हरत गोपानां नन्दं बध्नीत दुर्मतिम्

Expel from the city those two wicked sons of Vasudeva; seize the wealth of the cowherds; bind Nanda, that evil-minded man.

वसुदेवस्तु दुर्मेधा हन्यतामाश्वसत्तमः । उग्रसेनः पिता चापि सानुगः परपक्षगः

Let Vasudeva, that wicked-minded one, be killed at once, along with the best of horses; and Ugrasena, my father, who sides with the enemy, along with his followers.